The dressfor today was a conservative mourning gown to hide the fresh markings up my neck, so nothing strayed from my typical attire. I rubbed my palm across my sore neck, eliciting a deep sigh. Even though it had been nothing more than petting, he was absurdly rough. There was no need for this crudedisplay.
“Which one? Pink or blue?” Phoebe asked. She peered at me over her shoulder as the seamstress held up two fabrics.
“Why not something different? A mint or sage?” I suggested tiredly.
“Oh, I nearly forgot that greens were an option,” she mumbled, giving the seamstress one look before the nimble artist fled to the back to pull more silks.
“Your eyes are red. Are you still not sleeping?” Phoebe went up on her toes to grab my face, inspecting either side. In doing so, she spotted the bright purple and black bruise peeking out from under my high collar. “Alina Katarzyna Lis! What isthat?” she squeaked, squeezing my face in her bout of excitement.
My eyes were not the only thing that had turned red by now.
“Nothing!Nothing!” I tried to hush her.
“I feel so betrayed. You’re off conquesting and haven’t told me all the delicious details? I am truly offended,” she said in faux disappointment.
Her giddy demeanor settled when the front door of the shop rang, indicating a new customer. However, her cast was less than amused when she peered past me to see who it was. The change in her demeanor was as sharp as the first winter breeze.
My brows knit together before I craned my neck to see who could have caused such a drastic change in her attitude.
That devilish smirk appeared before us.
“God must be looking favorably on me today if he placed you in my path,” the Creature said as he entered the shop, his tone so sickly sweet that I could feel a cavity forming already. In his hand was the blackened shirt from the previous night.
“Mr. Forbes—” I began.
“Silas,” he reminded me, his eyes trailing to Phoebe.
“Silas,” Phoebe acknowledged him with a tight smile, thoughshe was too expressive to hide her distaste. “What brings you to a seamstress? Do you not have your own?” she asked coldly.
“It is Sunday, Miss Aston. I would not ask good Christians to work on a Sunday!” he replied with a tinge of sarcasm in his tone.
These two seemed to have . . .history?
“Besides, some nasty moth ate through my shirt,” he said, holding it up. It had a large black stain on the shoulder from where my knife had pierced him.
My focus landed on the shirt, and when I returned to his face, he was already looking at me. “Was it a moth or a squid?”
He only answered with a laugh before setting his shirt on the counter. An apprentice gathered it quickly.
“Well, it was a pleasure as always to see you, Miss Aston.” He gave her a snarky farewell before he turned to me. “Alina.” My name rolled off his tongue as he lifted my hand to kiss my bruised knuckle, his eyes not leaving mine.
After a moment’s pause to run his thumb over my skin, the corner of his lip tugged up subtly before he pulled away.
As I watched him leave, green eyes burned holes into the side of my face with the intensity of Phoebe’s glare.
Turning sheepishly, I came face-to-face with the most aggravated expression I had ever seen on my dear friend.
My shoulders tensed, and I could only muster an awkward smile, wiping my hand on my dress where he’d touched it.
“Please don’t tell me?—”
“No, it’s not?—”
“Anyonebut him, Alina!” she scolded, slapping my shoulder with her gathered gloves. “Promise me you’ll stay away from him.” Her expression was stern.
“I’ve tried, trust me. He’s like a dog to a butcher’s dumpster,” I grumbled, scratching my neck again. “It just... happened. It wasnothing.” I could not say much more about the encounter without her thinking I was a madwoman, but alarming her was the last thing I wanted to do. She would not understand this sick chase I had been stuck in. She did not have to be worried for much longer, thankfully. I just needed a little more time to get rid of him.
Her gaze flicked between my face and my neck in suspicion.
